Battery Downsizing Possible with New Battery Housing

A key factor in the acceptance of electric vehicles is sufficient cruising range. Instead of achieving this by using ever larger batteries, Mahle offers a newly developed battery housing with integrated thermal management.

The new battery housing developed by Mahle allows traction batteries to be about 40 percent smaller and thus recharged very quickly. Te company is thereby not only reducing the CO₂ footprint of the electric vehicle, but also lowering the demand for raw materials for battery production, which are becoming increasingly scarce worldwide.

To implement the required high cooling performance during the rapid charging process, the battery cells are surrounded by dielectric fluid as part of the battery housing concept. The fiber-reinforced plastic design is not only lightweight, but also extremely robust. The concept also provides massive weight benefits in the vehicle due to the smaller battery.

The need to cool batteries and power electronics gives rise to complex circuits that substantially increase the requirements on individual components and thermal management control systems. The supplier has supported the growing electrification of the powertrain and the associated tougher requirements right from the start and is continuously expanding its expertise in research and development.